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POWER WORKING THROUGH/ON BODIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 May 2011

Extract

(Note: This statement started its life as part of the State of the Profession panel at the joint American Society for Theatre Research / Congress on Research in Dance conference in Seattle [November 2010]. I was asked to respond to the question of “how power has worked on/through/with bodies in the fields of dance and theatre studies, and in the academy at large.” I decided to speak about the serious crisis facing higher education in light of the economic recession, and its particular challenges to the academy and our field, using my present context in the United Kingdom, where I have lived since 2006, as a case study.)

Type
What Are You Witnessing?
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Theatre Research 2011

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References

Endnotes

1. From the invitation to speak that I received from conference cochairs Anthea Kraut and Nadine George.

2. Lewis, Paul, Taylor, Matthew, Gabbatt, Adam, and Williams, Rachel, “Police Caught Out by Peaceful Student Protest That Turned Violent,” Guardian, 10 November 2010Google Scholar, online at www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/10/student-protests-violence (accessed 18 January 2011).

3. Quoted in Siddique, Haroon, “No 10 Hits Out at Lecturers Who Praised Student Protests at Tory HQ,” Guardian, 12 November 2010Google Scholar, online at www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/12/no-10-lecturers-praised-student-protests-at-tory-hq (accessed 18 January 2011).

4. Ibid.

5. Kennedy, Maev, “Student Protester Admits Throwing Fire Extinguisher,” Guardian, 24 November 2010Google Scholar, online at www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/24/tuition-fees-higher-education (accessed 16 February 2011).

6. Masters in International Performance Research, an Erasmus Mundus masters program, funded by the European Union, led by Warwick, with the University of Amsterdam, University of Helsinki, and University of Belgrade. Students study in two of the four locations and receive double degrees.

7. The British Theatre Consortium consists of myself, David Edgar, Dan Rebellato, Steve Waters, and Julie Wilkinson. Four of the five of us are professional playwrights, and four of us have academic positions as well. The BTC has run a number of conferences over the past few years (in London, Warwick, Birmingham, and Manchester) and has secured funding from Arts Council England for a report into the status of new theatre writing in Britain. The report, “Writ Large,” can be read online at http://britishtheatreconference.co.uk/writ-large/ (accessed 27 January 2011) or downloaded via www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/publications/writ_large.pdf.

8. Julie Wilkinson, introductory conference remarks, ‘Next Act: The Past and Future of New Theatre Writing’, Manchester, 13 November 2010. Unpublished ms courtesy of Julie Wilkinson.

9. Meikle, James and Dodd, Vikram, “Royal Car Attack: Cameron Calls for ‘Full Force of Law’,” Guardian, 10 December 2010Google Scholar, www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/10/royal-car-attack-cameron-charles (accessed 18 January 2011).

10. Ibid.

11. Update as of 1 March: Student demonstrations continued in January and February; Aaron Porter, head of the NUS, resigned under pressure from students angry that he was not militant enough in his leadership of the protests, and a large demonstration is planned together with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) under the banner ‘Funding Our Future’ for 26 March 2011.